Discipline

Discipline is simply the ability to do what you commit to do. If you can't fully commit, don't. Be consistent. Do what you commit yourself to do and only commit to do what you are willing to do. Actions perpetuate themselves. Develop discipline in small things and your habit will carry over into large things.

Life and Habit

A good life is the result of consciously developed habits. Control and master your habits and they will place the world at your feet. Allow them to run wild and undisciplined and they will destroy you.

So-And-So Can't Lie

People often say things that are obnoxiously false. Perhaps they don't realize exactly what it is that they are saying, or maybe they just haven't thought about it very carefully. But regardless of what they may or may not think, they often don't seem the least bit daunted by the fact that they have made a statement that is utterly erroneous.

Consider the statement “so-and-so can't lie.” I have heard such assertions used to describe people surprisingly often. But is such a statement accurate? Is it really true that the said person cannot lie? To begin our investigation, it seems that we must ask what exactly could have happened that would lead a person to express such a statement.

Perhaps “so-and-so” may simply be bad at lying. When asked a direct question (such as “did you do this?”), the validity of his response is betrayed by his tone, facial expression and body language. In other words, despite (say) his denial of responsibility, his tone, facial expression and body language clearly indicate his guilt. In addition, perhaps such situations have cropped up several times, which in itself could lead a person to conclude “so-and-so can't lie.”

Another option is that “so-and-so” doesn't lie. He may be completely honest at all times. If someone wants to know what he thinks about something, they simply ask him and he tells them what he thinks. If he is guilty of doing something, he openly admits it. Again, if “so-and-so” consistently displays such honesty, it is possible that others may conclude that he “can't lie.” This leads us to the crux of our problem.

The problem with a statement like “so-and-so can't lie” is specifically the word can't. If you say that “so-and-so can't walk” because they have no legs, that is one thing. But to say that they “can't lie” is entirely another. The word “can't” implies impossibility. That it is impossible for “so-and-so” to lie. But in order for it to truly be impossible for “so-and-so” to lie, he would have to be unable to communicate in any form whatsoever. If the said person is a bad liar (as explained above), if he has difficulty concealing a lie, it does not follow that he cannot lie. Surely he can, and obviously does, he simply doesn't get away with it. On the other hand, if the said person doesn't lie, if he is honest, it is clearly a mistake to conclude that he can't lie.

A person's actions (which include lying or not lying) are an effect of their will. They are the result of one's choice and initiative. If a person has worked their entire life to be honest because they happen to believe that it is among their moral responsibilities to convey the truth, they have done so as a result of their own conscious choice. It is not that they cannot lie, but rather, they choose to not lie. They may have developed the habit being honest to such a point that they will not lie, but to assume or state that they cannot lie, is to assume that they have no control over their own choices and actions. It is to assume that that is just the “way they are” and that the individual has absolutely no role to play in their actions.

Not only is the statement “so-and-so can't lie” false, but it is also blatantly insulting to “so-and-so.” Some people may accuse me of splitting hairs here, but nonetheless, we should all be more aware of the things we say and the words we use.

The Method

This is the third post in a series, the topic of which is “thinking.” If you have not read the first or second posts I encourage you to do so before continuing.

Before we move on it seems appropriate to briefly summarize what has been said in previous posts. As it relates to The Catalyst of Confidence, the concept of thinking broadly refers to the examination of causal relationships. A crucial component of such thinking is that it is inherently teleological in that it is always directed toward a specific end or good in the mind of the individual. In other words, causal relationships are not examined “just because” or for “no reason,” but rather, for the purpose of attaining a desired good. While the goods which our thoughts are directed toward always “appear” to be real or genuine goods, in fact, they may or may not be. By evaluating both the short-term (immediate) and long-term (forthcoming) effects of a good, a person is better able to discern whether or not the goods they are directing their energies toward are real or merely apparent. And while poor choices in goods tends to focus solely on short-term effects, beneficial choices tend to focus on effects in both the short- and long-term, with an emphasis on the latter.

Up to this point, our posts have put forward a lot of theory, but how can a person actually apply this information? How does a person go about putting this information into practice? To answer these questions and others we must, oddly enough, look to the natural sciences. At present, the best possible way that I have found to apply this information is to start by utilizing a basic scientific method, which I will adapt and describe below. This method consists of three steps: observing, hypothesizing and experimenting.

1. Observing

Observing refers to the observation of various elements in one's current circumstances. Naturally some circumstances may be evaluated as good and satisfactory, but it is likely that others, like a burnt hand, for instance, will be judged as less beneficial. It is the second category of circumstances, those which are deemed unsatisfactory, with which we concern ourselves. These are specific conditions which we would like to eliminate and/or replace with those of a more desirable nature. This leads us to our second step.

2. Hypothesizing

Once an unsatisfactory circumstance is identified a person can begin to determine it's cause and/or remedy. This is done through a form of speculation known as hypothesizing. Hypothesizing is closely linked with observation, as it refers to the examination of causal relationships so as to determine the root cause of a given unsatisfactory circumstance, and if appropriate, it's remedy.

3. Experimenting

When a possible cause or remedy is identified a person may then begin taking action in order to correct the problem or unsatisfactory circumstance. Performing actions which are directed toward the correction of an unsatisfactory circumstance is known as experimenting. Experimenting is basically an attempt to fix the problem. It then becomes necessary to begin observing the results of our actions. If our initial attempts fail, we can begin re-examining the situation by hypothesizing which may then be followed up by further experimentation.

Thus, through trial and error, a person is able to utilize this method to identify an adverse condition, it's cause and/or remedy, and ultimately eliminate and/or replace it through their own efforts. I will continue to elaborate in the future.

The Result of Fear

Fear often reveals itself as indecision, doubt and procrastination, ultimately resulting in inaction. Without action, the most vital element of success, nothing can be accomplished and the wheels of human ingenuity stop turning.

The Ends of Thought

This is the second post in an informal series, the topic of which is “thinking.” If you have not read the first post (it's fairly short) I encourage you to do so before continuing.

Acute readers will have noticed that the ending of Don't Burn Your Hands! clearly states that “we've barely scratched the surface—more to come!” This obviously implies that we were not done. But that was in August and here we are closing in on December. So, if you would, allow me to apologize for my failure to publish this post in a timely manner.

Having explored a broad generalization of the concept of thinking (causal relationships), let us now begin to break it apart and examine it more closely. One of the first things we should notice is that thinking at this level is inherently teleological, that is, it is directed toward some end or goal. It does not wander aimlessly, but rather, seeks something specific. What exactly does that mean? If we take an example from the first post, specifically the example of placing one's hand on the heated coil of a stove, we know that this action will result in our hand being burned. But examining the causal relationship between the act of placing our hand on the coil and the result of our hand being burned is not properly an end in itself. Rather, the end of such examination (thinking) is presumably “how do I avoid burning my hand in the future?” In this case, the end which our thinking is directed toward would be the avoidance of burning one's hand.

For the purpose of these posts, the ends which we direct our thoughts toward will be called goods. Thus, the examination of the causal relationship between the act of placing one's hand on a heated coil and the effect of it being burned, is directed toward the good of avoiding such effects in the future. Most people will agree that it is desirable to not burn one's hand on the coil of a stove. In other words, it is seen to be good to avoid such things. However, no one deliberately directs their thoughts toward an end which they believe to be destructive or bad. Ends are always seen as goods in the mind of an individual. This leads us to the contrast between real and apparent goods.

A real or genuine good, is an end which is actually good for a person. The end of avoiding burning one's hand, for example, would be considered a real or genuine good. An apparent good, on the other hand, is a good which, while a person may think or believe it to be genuinely beneficial for them, in reality is not. We can easily conceive of a person who desires to eat chocolate cake at every meal. Such an end would no doubt be seen as a good in the mind of the individual, but would nonetheless prove to be the opposite. This inevitably leads us to yet another distinction. That of the short-term and long-term effects or consequences of different ends.

The short-term effect of my avoiding burning my hand can be seen as a real good because I do in fact avoid burning my hand. The long-term effect would be the same. In this case there is no difference between the short-term and long-term effects when it comes to the end of “avoiding burning my hand.” Can the same be said of the person whose end is the consumption of chocolate cake at every meal? The short-term effect of eating chocolate cake at every meal is simply the gratification of the desire to eat chocolate cake at every meal. Again, in the mind of the individual, this end is seen as a good. Even so, the long-term effect would be quite different, the very least of which would be mild health problems. In this case, the long-term effect of the end of “eating chocolate cake at every meal” reveals itself to be, not a real or genuine good, but on the contrary, an apparent good.

On the basis of what has been said, we can make several conclusions about the essence of goods. First, real goods are ends which actually produce beneficial effects, with an added emphasis on the long-term. In many circumstances, the short-term or immediate effect of a real good, is not seen to be good or beneficial at all. When a person who desires to lose weight begins to eat healthy or work out, for instance, the short-term circumstances are generally undesirable. Prior to working out this person was overweight. Now that they have begun working out, they are still overweight, but now they are tired and sore as well! Thus, this person must tolerate a short-term pain or discomfort in order to attain their desired end in the long-term, which is a real good.

Next, we find that apparent goods are ends which are expected to produce beneficial effects and generally emphasize the short-term. Put differently, apparent goods have a tendency to focus on the immediate effect of an end or good. Procrastinating on a project may seem to be desirable in the short-term, but oftentimes such ends produce hazardous effects in the long-term. As discussed in Lesson VIII: Self-Deception and Learning, a characteristic of self-deception is seen in fulfilling immediate desires while simultaneously ignoring future consequences.

A person may opt to tolerate a given pain or discomfort in the short-term, in order to enjoy a real good in the long term. While another person may solely be focused on an apparent good in the short-term, at the expense of the long-term. Herein lies the difference between good and bad choices. In one instance, a person takes into account the short-term and the long-term effects, and evaluates them as goods. In another, only the short-term or immediate effects are considered and evaluated as goods.

I do realize that this is a lot of information, but it is a necessary foundation to understand the forthcoming posts on this topic.

Everything You Do Is A Choice

Whether you believe it or not, you possess the ability to control your own actions. You control you.

The Confidence Formula

The following formula appears in Lesson XI: Confidence and Humility:

Hard Work → Progress → Confidence

Though this formula has been briefly touched upon in the book, I will add some further clarifications and comments at this time.

The proposition “hard work” starts us off, but what exactly does “hard work” refer to? It should be said that one of the primary aims of Lesson XI: Confidence and Humility is to illustrate the absolute importance of the “complete understanding” of the ten lessons previous it. The concept of “complete understanding” is defined in the Lexicon as the ability “to know or understand something on an intellectual and functional basis.” This idea was first presented in the Introduction and thus finds it's consummation in the eleventh lesson. Hence, it is because our goal is not merely the intellectual, but also the functional understanding of the first ten lessons, that we are better able to identify the concept of “hard work.” Here, “hard work” essentially refers to the actions necessary in order to functionally understand the first ten lessons. In other words, it refers to the work that must be done consistently in order to functionally apply what we have intellectually learned. The word “hard” is used to emphasize that though the lessons are relatively simple, they may not necessarily be easy to apply or integrate. As we have seen, it is one thing to intellectually understand something, and it is quite another to incorporate it into our everyday life.

The “hard work” that is done consistently over time which is necessary to functionally understand the first ten lessons brings us to “progress,” the next step in our formula. Progress, whether internal or external, is the natural result of consistent hard work. Internal progress should be understood as “progress in thought or act,” while external progress pertains to progress in reaching an extrinsic goal of some sort. Through working to apply and incorporate the first ten lessons we will eventually begin to see progress. Such results may not show up immediately, nor be ostensibly large, but neither should this properly surprise us, especially considering what is said in Lesson VII: Failure and Adversity. After all, even small progress is progress.

Visible progress—whether seen in our personal selves or in our external circumstances—in turn, validates our hard work and reveals to us a glimpse of our potential. This glimpse, which may begin as a very faint and miniscule spark, will, over time—and through our continued efforts—begin to grow, and as our understanding of our potential grows and expands, so too does our confidence and faith in our abilities. Confidence, as it is said in the Introduction, stems from our capacity to acknowledge and understand the reality of human potential. But it specifically the acknowledgment and understanding of our own potential, which can result in nothing less than a genuine state of confidence on our part.

The Coming Changes

The Catalyst of Confidence blog was officially launched in March, along with the release of the book, The Catalyst of Confidence. It's aim being to provide a continuing education to readers by examining the contents of the book in a more scrupulous fashion. Which up to this point (correct me if I'm wrong) I think has been done reasonably well. This post serves to announce that, beginning early next year (2012), this blog will transition from it's current state and content base to one of a broader and more general nature. My reason for this change will be described below.

Before outlining the reason for this change, however, I will briefly describe some of the alterations which are currently expected. To begin with, the content of the articles published on the blog will change. Change how? At this time, only articles which directly concern The Catalyst of Confidence are published. In the future, articles of a much more diverse nature will be published. In other words, the content will no longer be solely “catalyst of confidence” related, but will encompass other topics as well. To clarify, this in no way implies that articles concerning The Catalyst of Confidence will cease being published. It simply means that the scope and scale of the blog itself will broaden and thus, offer readers a more diverse and interesting series of topics to contemplate and ponder. In addition, the look and feel of the blog itself will be changed. i.e., design, layout, colors, etc. The blog URL, it's name, and all associated feeds, however, will remain the same. Also, readers will still have the ability to contact me or ask questions if they desire and all previously published posts will remain available.

My reason for the forthcoming change is as follows: My work does not reside solely within the realm of The Catalyst of Confidence and it's contents. I am interested in many things, which, by my own design, occupy my research and study. Thus, The Catalyst of Confidence and it's related topics comprise one among many such areas of personal interest. This being the case, I find myself unnecessarily restricted when it comes to maintaining this blog. Many things I would otherwise write about and concern myself with have been excluded as things beyond the current scope and scale of this blog. Hence, beginning early next year the “scope and scale” will change and broaden, so as to afford me a certain flexibility in my writing.

Until the prescribed changes occur next year, the blog will continue operating as normal. If you have any questions or concerns, please send me a message. All feedback is welcome and greatly appreciated.